November 11, 2021

Interview with Jonas Moffat Caballero

I met Jonas Caballero in 2006 in the West Bank when we were both human rights workers in Hebron. We became inseparable and a mutual friend even referred to him and my shadow and vice versa.

In 2007 he was abruptly arrested by Israeli border police and deported from Palestine.

Eventually, he got a Fullbright scholarship to finish his Master's degree at Cambridge.

Then I didn't hear from him at all for about 8 years.

I heard bits and pieces. I heard he was in a coma and almost died, that he was into drugs, and that he was put into prison for selling drugs.

Then, out of the blue, I got a call from him in March of 2020. He had just been released after serving 2 and a half years out of a 3-year prison sentence. This interview is my attempt to find out what happened and how he got sober and how he got into a career in law. I hope his story inspires you.

1 comment

Salaam/Shalom: Wow! I can relate to so much of this interview – from drinking the Kool Aid, to “think globally but act locally,” to your recovery journey, and I am a retired Muslim prison chaplain, and now prison advocate. I, too, continued in my addiction despite hitting numerous medical/psychological “bottoms,” but by the grace of God was able to get into recovery. Jonas, remember that no matter how passionate you are in whatever advocacy you’re doing, recovery is only “one day at a time,” and circumstances can change in a hot minute … I’m SO proud of you! Thanks Katie for making this interview happen.

Safiyyah November 13, 2021